USA > Pennsylvania > Westmoreland County > History of Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, Vol. I > Part 55
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James H. Gallagher I902 James H. Gallagher 1905
SHERIFFS.
This office was an appointive one till 1839.
John Proctor I773
David Newingham 1843
James Carnahan
1775
Michael L. Hays 1843
Matthew Jack 1781
David Kistler 1846
Robert Orr
1785
John Hugus 1849
William Perry
1789
John Welsh 1852
James Guthrie
1790
William Welsh 1853
John Brandon 1792
Valentine Elliott
1856
James Brady
1795
William Huston
1859
John Kuhns
1898
William Bell
1862
John Brandon
1801
Robert M. Reed
1865
John Sloan
1804
Daniel F. Steck
I868
Alexander Johnston 1807
Alexander Kilgore 1871
Robert Stewart 1810
John Guffey
1874
John Fleming 1813
James Borlin
1877
Hunphrey Fullerton 1816
Henry Kettering
1880
John Klingensmith 1819
John M. Stewart
1883
John Nicholls 1822
Benjamin F. Byers 1886
Morrison Underwood 1825
Lucian Clawson 1889
John Klingensmith 1828
Peter F. McCann 1892
Samuel L. Carpenter 1831
Harry F. Seanor 1895
David Fullwood
1834
Benjamin F. 'May
1898
William McKinney 1837
John H. Tresher
I90I
James Harvey
.840
George J. Seanor 1904
REGISTER OF DEEDS AND RECORDER OF WILLS.
James Guthrie
1790
William L. Evans 1860
Robert Dickey
1809
William C. Guffey 1863
James Montgomery
1812
Samuel Rock 1866
48c
HISTORY OF WESTMORELAND COUNTY.
Robert Montgomery 1818
Clark F. Warden 1869
Alexander Johnston 1830
John M. Laird 1872
Jonathan Row 1836
William B. Snodgrass 1873
Jacob S. Steck
1839
James Dennison 1878
Archibald B. McGrew 18.42
William Hugus 188 1
David Cook 1843
E. F. Houseman 1884
James Keenan, Jr. 1849
Christ Cribbs 1887
Randall McLaughlin
1853
Wm. B. Conway
1890
Jacob M. Miller 1854
John R. Oursler
1893
Edward J. Keenan
1857
Samuel G. Stevenson 1896
Samuel G. Stevenson
1899
CLERK OF THE ORPHANS' COURT.
Up to 1836 this office was filed by the Prothonotary. From 1842 to 1855, they were again united.
George L. Ramisay 1836
Darwin Music 1882
William Gorgas 1839
George W. Kistner 1885
Joseph Gross 1855
James D. Best 1888
Robt. W. Singer 1858
Edward B. Sweeny
1891
Joseph W. Blair 1864
Matthew A. Lytle 1894
Joseph Gross 1870
Chester D. Sensennick 1897
George W. Frick
1873
Robert M. Jones
1900
James W Wilson
1876
Robert M. Jones
1903
John R. Bell 1879
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
The record prior to 1849 is very imperfect.
Christopher Truby 1774
David Ryall 1822
Benjamin Lodge 1779
Neal Boyle 1822
Robert Clark
177
Jacob Turney 1823
Joseph McGarrak
1783
James Shields 1849
Alexander Barr
1783
Levi Kempf 849
William Jack 1783
John Horrell
1849
John W. Marshall 1850
(One elected each year.)
John Nesbit 1785
Henry Swartz 1851
Simon Detar 1852
Jesse Walton 1853
Alexander Hanna 1854
George Albert 1855
F. B. McGrew 1856
G. W. Ross 1857
Samuel McClean 1858
Jolın Larimer 1859
John Severn 1860
John Giffen
1790
James Menoher 1861
William Moore 1785
James Lawson 1785
William Moore 1787
James Lawson 1787
William Jack 1787
James Lawson 1788
William Jack 1788
Eli Coulter 1788
William Jack 1789
John Giffen 178g
Eli Coulter 1789
HISTORY OF WESTMORELAND COUNTY. 481
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS CONTINUED.
Robert Clark 1790
W. J. Reed 1862
Benjamin Lodge 1790
Abraham Hays 1863
Robert Clark 1792
James H. Clark 1864
Benjamin Lodge 1792
M. G. Keener 186
George Smith 1792
Michael Keffer 1866
George Smith 1793
Alexander McDonald 1793
John M. Bierer
1868
James White 1793
George Bridge 1869
John Kirkpatrick 1794
James White 1794
Hugh Ryan 1870
John Kirkpatrick 1795
William Deverter 1872
James White 1795
John Herbert 1873
Barton Laffer 1795
Henry Keely 1874
Jacob Smith 1798
John L. Bierer 1875
Robert Dickey 1798
Clark Butterfield (died) 1876
James McGreary 1798
R. P. Arnold, appd. 1876
Henry Allshouse 1800
J. C. West
1876
Jeremiah Murry 1800
M. M. Dick 1876
James Smith 1800
Henry Keely 1879
James Parr 1802
William Taylor 1879
John Bennett 1802
John H. Townsend 1879
James Smith 802
S. G. Brechbill 1882
James Parr 1803
H. H. Byers 1882
John Bennett 1803
William Taylor 1882
Isaac Wager
George Campbell 1885
John Bonnett 1805
J. W. Hutchinson 1885
William Freidt 1805
S. W. Shaw 1888
Thomas Pollock 1806
S. G. Thompson I888
John Bonnett 1806
S. F. Maxwell
1888
William Freidt
1806
H. S. Bear 1891
Thomas Pollock
1807 . S. W. Shaw
William Parks
1807
Jacob Linsman
1807
Hugh Henderson 1894
James Kelly 1808
W. D. Reamer 1894
William Parks 1808
J. V. Huff 1894
W. D. Reamer 1897
James Kelly :808
J. McCoy Dinsmore 1897
Harry Mansfield 1897
W. D. Reamer 1900
George M. Earnest 1900
R. N. Gay 1900
Hugh Price 1903
George M. Earnest 1903
John Milligan 1816
Daniel A. Mowery 1903
Jacob Rugh 1817
W. D. Reamer 1906
James Clark 1819
B. F. Shaffer 1906
Samuel Bushfield 1820
D. W. Shupe
1906
Jacob Linsman 1808
Thomas Culbertson 18IO
Andrew Findley 18II
James Caldwell 1814 Robert Williams 1814
S. W. Maxwell 1891
1891
Jacob Linsman 1808
John Sheaffer 1808
J. B. Felgar 885
1803 James Parr 1805
Isaac Irwin 1870
George Smith 1794
John H. Hiberger 1867
31
482
HISTORY OF WESTMORELAND COUNTY.
COUNTY TREASURERS.
J. J. Wirsing
1879
Win. H. Saam 1894
John J. Knappenberger
1882
David H. Rankin 1897
James M. Reed
1885
Daniel F. Beltz 1900
Eli Chambers
I888
A. Shumaker 1903
Philip Fisher
1891
H. F. Bovard
1906
COUNTY SURVEYORS.
W. F. Miller
1881
J. J Neel 1896
Samuel N. Ferguson
1884
J. J. Neel
1899
Samuel N. Ferguson
1887
Wm. H. Matthews
1902
Wm. R. Barnhardt
1890
Wm. H. Mathews
1905
Wm. M. Lloyd
1893
DISTRICT ATTORNEYS.
Silas A. Kline 1881
Joseph H. McCurdy 1892
A. M. Sloan
1884
Wm. C. Peoples 1895
Denna C. Ogden
1887
Wm. C. Peoples 1898
J. E. Lauffer, died and Curtis H.
Jesse E. B. Cunningham 1901
Gregg appd.
1890
Jesse E. B. Cunningham 1904
Our early settlers were too busy to pay much attention to politics. Our vote in the early years of last century was very meager, for the great contend- ing parties of a later date had not been formed and party lines were not yet drawn. Most of our county officers were appointed by the Governor, and there was but little excitement concerning elections. The Jackson-Clay-Adams contest for president in 1824 brought about a bitter partisan feeling through- out the country. For the first time in our county we had a real presidential con- test when John Quincy Adams was a candidate for re-election in 1828, and Andrew Jackson was pitted against him. The official vote of the county, as published in the Westmoreland Republican and Farmers' Chronicle of Novem- ber 7, 1828, was as follows:
Districts
Jackson.
Adams.
Greensburg
98
32
Hempfield
545
16
Unity
14I
37
Mount Pleasant
69
6
South Huntingdon
267
21
Rostraver
170
55
Fairfield
180
27
Donegal
172
35
Ligonier
189
38
Youngstown
203
55
Derry
368
39
Washington
207
II
Allegheny
187
19
Salem
223
41
483
HISTORY OF WESTMORELAND COUNTY.
Districts
Jackson.
Adams.
Franklin
283
22
Mount Pleasant District.
287
85
Jackson District
192
49
Sewickley Dictrict
136
41
Total
3917
629
Jackson majority over Adams in entire county, 3,288.
The presidential election in 1832, when Jackson was a second time a candi- date for the presidency, and was opposed mainly by William Wirt, was equally bitter, though not quite so one-sided, as the following record of the official re- turns show :
Districts
Jackson 86
Wirt
Greensburg
30
Hempfield
416
65
Mount Pleasant
74
7
Unity
115
43
Unity District
193
79
Jacksonville District
173
69
Sewickley District
89
78
Mount Pleasant District
325
95
Franklin
263
22
Washington
199
28
Allegheny
251
26
Derry
276
40
Donegal
1.47
25
Fairfield
178
23
Ligonier
142
55
Salem
193
60
Rostraver
I21
57
South Huntingdon
178
59
Total
3419
861
Jackson's majority over Wirt, 2,558.
Westmoreland county was then, like the state, strongly Democratic. For more than fifty years it was a stronghold of Democracy, and was pointed to as the "Star of the West." It was seldom in all these years that a Whig or a Re- publican was elected to a county office. The notable exceptions of the later elections were the election of Evans in 1860 as register and recorder, and the election of James A. Hunter, in 1879, as president judge, both being elected by the Republicans. The election of Judge Hunter' was brought about by a dissatisfaction in the Democratic party with their nominee, A. A. Stewart. Though a man of many good qualities, he was defeated by 1065 votes, while all the other candidates on the Democratic ticket were elected. The year follow- ing, though a strenuous effort was put forth by the Republican party to carry the county, it was carried by the Democrats, though by somewhat reduced ma-
484
HISTORY OF WESTMORELAND COUNTY.
jorities, and continued in the Democratic column until 1884. In that year an unusually strong ticket was put into the field by the Republicans, headed by George F. Huff as a candidate for the office of state senate. James G. Blaine was then a candidate for the presidency. Having been brought up in an ad- joining county, he was unusually popular with a majority of the Westmore- land voters, who had watched his matchless leadership in Congress with an almost paternal interest. Though a bitter contest ensued, the entire Republican ticket was elected by several hundred majority, and Mr. Blaine came within eight votes of carrying the county. In 1885 the county again went Republi- can, but in 1886 it went Democratic, with the exception that Welty Mccullough carried the county and was elected to Congress, and James S. Beacon was elected to the legislature. In 1887 the county went Republican, and in 1888 the greater part of the ticket was elected. In 1889 it was carried by the Demo- crats by a greatly increased majority, and again in 1890, except that Mr. Huff carried it as a candidate for Congress. In 1891 it was carried by the Republi- cans, but by a very small majority, though P. F. McCann was elected sheriff on the Democratic ticket. In 1892 the successful candidates were about equally divided between the two parties. In 1893 the Republicans carried it by a very large majority, since which time it has been constantly in the Republican column, with the exception that Judge Lucian W. Doty was re-elected judge in 1899 by a small majority.
In 1905 the Republicans renominated Alexander D. McConnell for judge, and his nomination was endorsed by the Democrat party, paying him thus a compliment hitherto unheard of in Westmoreland politics.
Following is a statement of great interest to every resident of Westmoreland county, and is also valuable as a source of information and for reference. It gives, in detail, the real estate valuation and amount of taxation of every borough and township in Westmoreland county for the year 1905. The figures are taken from the official records in Controller Hitchman's office and are authentic, though it must be remembered that the assessed value is rarely ever more than half its real value.
485
HISTORY OF WESTMORELAND COUNTY.
BOROUGHS
Building Tax
State Tax
County Tax
Valuation
Arnold
$ 746.87
80.23
$ 2,614.23
$ 746,677
Arona.
110.73
51.10
387.39
110,645
Avenmore
400.41
112.75
1,400.29
399,870
Adamsburg.
53.05
63.12
185.59
53,005
Bolivar
244.12
56.47
854.28
244,010
Cokeville.
85.59
44.47
299.51
85,534
Derry
594.94
110.03
2,082.75
595,210
Donegal.
32.85
15.70
114.81
32,753
East Greensburg.
410.70
407.08
1,437.44
410,586
Greensburg-First Ward ..
1,418.73
1,113.02
4,965.84
1,418,711
-Second Ward.
1,162.90
1,810.63
4,070.19
1,162,783
-Third Ward.
792.40
805.42
2,773.68
792,445
-Fourth Ward ..
1,169.14
1,711.41
4,092.19
1,169,045
-Fifth Ward.
649.98
401.12
2,275.20
649,910
Hyde Park.
88.53
10.80
309.92
88,525
Irwin .
1,162.22
965.16
4.065.13
1,162,066
Jeannette
2,354.17
296.98
8,241.67
2,353,704
Ligonier
482.14
970.76
1,687.82
482,075
Ludwick
450.44
247.39
1,576.08
450,305
Livermore ..
44.14
230.22
154.49
44,080
Latrobe-First Ward.
471.83
423.16
1,651.47
471,765
-Second Ward.
1,033.44
670.75
3,617.25
1,033,400
-Third Ward.
819.60
340.94
2,869.25
819,665
Mt. Pleasant-First Ward.
461.15
875.26
1,615.65
460,970
-Second Ward.
667.50
710.47
2,336.27
667,355
-Third Ward.
517.27
304.94
1,810.74
517,210
Madison
11.35
7.74
389.69
111,305
-Second Ward.
1,257.06
4,400.03
1,256,902
-Third Ward.
500.61
1,751.33
500,235
New Kensington.
2,250.45
180.50
7,878.03
2,250,310
New Alexandria,
198.75
380.34
695.69
198,681
,New Florence.
215.67
203.00
754.92
215,635
North Bellevernon.
293.64
313.07
1,027.63
293,550
North Irwin.
160.29
71.00
560.92
160,240
Penn ..
188.74
50.96
660.67
188,670
Parnassus
1,092.34
556.68
3,823.36
1,092,165
Suterville
190.95
88.30
668.26
190,885
Scottdale-First Ward.
921.09
1,191.77
3,224.22
920,989
-Second Ward ..
423.69
81.60
1,483.05
423,561
-Third Ward .
761.65
215.74
2,665.98
761,586
-Fourth Ward.
204.16
38.08
715.65
204,043
Salem ..
162.63
72.18
569.12
162,220
South Greensburg
635.71
40.16
2.224.47
635,505
South East Greensburg.
219.80
179.42
769.14
219,705
South West Greensburg.
626.26
166.36
2,192.00
626,305
Seward.
75.04
69.32
262.46
74,900
Smithton
153.59
79.96
537.58
153,540
Trafford City
528.26
139.60
1,848.48
527,969
Vandergrift
1,119.29
108.52
3,917.22
1,119,230
Vandergrift Heights
419.99
60.69
1,469.61
419,997
Vandergrift, East
69.69
243.71
69,545
West Newton
843.09
1,721.13
2,950.23
842,552
Youngstown
80.91
108.99
283.22
80,895
Youngwood.
372.34
78.70
1,302.97
372,070
TOTALS.
$31,865.89
$19,897.37
$111,532.06
$31,858,814
Manor
306.81
580.08
1,073.87
306,745
Monessen-First Ward
902.58
271.60
3,158.87
902,235
McMahan
154.62
12.50
540.60
154,340
486
HISTORY OF WESTMORELAND COUNTY.
TOWNSHIPS
Building Tax
State Tax
County Tax
Valuation
Allegheny
$ 822.43
307.04
$ 2,877.59
821,817
Bell.
570.09
169.16
1,995.32
. 569,898
Burrell, Upper
238.05
53.05
832.59
237,823
Burrell, Lower
641.73
460.07
2,245.84
641,500
Cook.
275.75
172.08
966.16
275,715
Donegal.
325.83
100.00
1,140.58
325,509
Derry
3,939.31
708.72
13,787.08
3,938,158
Franklin
1,352.56
931.78
4,734.42
1,352,225
Fairfield.
533.27
305.06
1,869.58
533,943
Huntingdon, North
2,469.87
644.66
8,643.52
2,468,909
Huntingdon, South.
2,032.27
1,134.31
7,112.26
2,031,576
Huntingdon, East.
3,028.00
1,011.79
10,598.93
3,027,416
Hempfield
5,361.38
2,572.99
18,760.96
5,359,118
Ligonier ..
913.18
334.04
3,199.88
913.777
Loyalhanna.
438.64
234.02
1,534.64
438,318
Mt. Pleasant
3,913.02
1,319.83
13,692.78
3,911,622
Penn
2,877.12
851.88
10,069.67
2,876,280
Rostraver
3,435.52
2,211.31
12,025.17
3,435,179
Sewickley.
2,343.89
791.48
8,209.61
2,344,792
Salem
1,915.08
614.49
6,701.94
1,914,433
St. Clair.
232.39
34.48
813.36
232,328
Unity
4,024.72
1,369.33
14,085.06
4,025,655
Washington
813.35
305.47
2,845.77
812,775
TOTALS.
$42,497.45
$16,637.04
$148,742.71
$42.488,766
GRAND TOTALS:
Boroughs
$31,865.89
$19,897.37
$111,532.06
$31,858,814
Townships ..
42,497.45
16,637.04
148,742.71
42,488,766
TOTALS.
$74,363.34
$36,534.41
$260,274.77
$74,347,580
CHAPTER XXXVI
Greensburg.
From some old newspaper articles we can gather a reasonably correct idea of Greensburg as it existed shortly after it was incorporated. The first census, in 1810, gives the population as 685. The census of 1790 is very imperfect, and gives the population of Greensburg with Hempfield township, for it was then not incorporated. The census of 1820 gives the population as 770, showing an increase of eighty-five people in ten years.
The houses of the county seat were very common structures in that age. Most of them were built of logs, and but few were frame or weather-boarded structures. A few of the early houses were built of stone, but they did not gen- erally date back as far as 1800. The old banking house of the Westmoreland Bank, for instance, which was thought to be one of the oldest buildings in Greensburg, was built of stone, but was not erected until 1805. On the other hand, the stone part of the house on West Otterman street and Harrison avenue, which was at first used as a tavern, was built in 1796. Nearly all of these old landmarks have been rebuilt in such a way that scarcely anything of the original structure now stands. Thus, the hotel at the corner of Pittsburgh and Main streets, opposite the court house, known now as the "Fisher House," and known long ago as the "Drum House," contains in its present superstructure nothing of the original building. A part of the foundation, it is said, is the same as the one which supported the old building, and which, if standing, would be perhaps the most historic landmark in Greensburg. It was the house in which the com- missioners of the United States and the state officials were entertained during the Whisky Insurrection. At that time it had a clapboard roof, and had for a sign a large painted figure representing General Nathanael Greene. It is said
488
HISTORY OF WESTMORELAND COUNTY.
that at that time nearly every house in Greensburg was set back in the yard, and were far apart, so that from almost any section one could look through be- tween the houses and into the broad green fields beyond. East of Greensburg, on the hill entering the town and by the side of the old road, was quite a cluster of one-story log houses which was called "Irish Town," and on the west side was another cluster called "Dutch Town." This road, which was the main turn- pike going east and west, was the principal business street of the place. Along it were always collected crowds of idle men and boys to see the big teams com- ing up the hill, and to hear the wagoners swear and crack their whips. Where the road crossed Main street were two taverns, a store, and the county buildings. Among the first buildings on Main street were taverns, which from time to time were kept by numerous old citizens. Many of the high officials of that date, or smaller county officers, if they came from office without much money, forthwith engaged in the tavern business, which did not require much capital, and seemed to suit them quite well. The number of inns in that day was large in proportion to the number of villagers. The people from all the county, how- ever, came here and sought entertainment, which gave rise to more public tav- erns. The building above the court house, latterly owned by the Armstrong heirs, was called the Dublin Hotel. In front of it was an archway, and the wagoners drove their teams through it to the yard beyond. Between the lower house on Main street and the German burying ground there was a common upon which the boys of an early day played ball. At that day, too, nearly every citizen of Greensburg kept a cow, and this was a convenient place for them to pasture and spend the night. On the western side of Greensburg, now one of the most populous sections, there were but two or three log houses. Ludwick Ottoman was an old Dutchman who owned the farm now owned by the Seaton Hill Academies, afterwards known as the Stokes farm and still later as the John Jennings farm. It also included most of the land upon which the town of Lud- wick is built. His log house stood near the place where the Stokes residence was afterwards built. It was entered by GENERAL NATHANAEL GREENE Hero of the Revolution. a double door, hung one above the other like a stable door. He was extremely homely in his dress and make-up, gen- erally wearing a red flannel coat, a round-about made from a woolen blanket. Later came a better house on the summit of "Bunker Hill," which was made
489
HISTORY OF WESTMORELAND COUNTY.
·of frame, and was lathed and plastered on the outside. It was known as the Bushfield Tavern. Near by was a blacksmith shop. Indeed, every tavern had near it a blacksmith shop, for horse-shoeing was one of the leading industries of a wagon town in those days, and the creaking of the bellows might be heard from early morning until late at night. On Main street, where the Zimmerman House now stands, stood the house of the renowned lawyer, John B. Alexan- der. The Zimmerman House is yet the original structure, with a south end added on Main street, a third story on the entire building, and an addition ex- tending along Second street. One can yet see the original outline of the old Alexander home both from Main street and from Second street. Nearby lived Judge John Young, in a house opposite the present Methodist Church building on Main street, now occupied by the Masonic Hall and the Troutman stores. Dr. Postlethwaite, the eminent physician of Greensburg, resided in a house opposite the Zimmerman House, now known as the Mace property. Judge Coulter, then one of the leading lawyers, lived in a house standing where the First National Bank and the Huff building now stand.
From the local newspapers of that day a few items of interest may be gleaned. In the Gazette of November 27, 1823, is the notice that John B. Alexander and Joseph H. Kuhns entered into a law partnership as attorneys, and that James B. Oliver had an office in Greensburg as a scrivener and con- veyancer. At the same time John Connell kept a store "opposite the market house and stage office," while M. P. Cassilly, Randal Mclaughlin and Henry Welty, Jr., kept the leading merchandising establishment of the town. This firm dissolved partnership in April, 1824, and Cassilly continued at the old place. W. Brown & Son, and a man named Mowry, kept store opposite the postoffice, and between these stores was published the Gazette. John Con- nell's advertisement showed that he kept fancy goods for sale. Another store was kept by Arthur Carr, and still another by James Brady & Company. Edward N. Clopper, the progenitor of the Clopper family, had just come from Baltimore, and advertised his store in the room "below Horbach's Tavern and next door south of Simon Drum, Esq." A man named Gallagher, John Isett and William Finley, were the Greensburg hatters, for it must be remembered that hats were at that time manufactured by small establishments scattered throughout the country. Hugh Stewart manufactured spinning wheels and reels at his shop, which was "The second house on the northern side of the street west of the residence of Mr. Henry Welty, Sr." James Armstrong did the tailoring of the town. George Singer was a chair maker, and also adver- tised to do gilding, sign painting and glazing. James Gimmel was a stone- cutter, and his place was opposite the German Church. He also advertised grindstones for sale. Peter Fleeger was a saddler. Jehu Taylor had what he called a furniture warehouse, in which he advertised for sale many house- hold conveniences, and he was also a cabinetmaker. In an issue of the paper
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HISTORY OF WESTMORELAND COUNTY.
of 1825 there is a complaint of a scarcity of water in the wells should a fire occur, and it was complained that the fire engine was not kept in repair and for all practical purposes was really useless. Samuel McCawley carded wool, and his establishment was one door below the brick brewery on the turnpike road. There was also a barber, for in the issue of February 13, 1824, there is an article which is signed, "E. F. Pratt, hair dresser," and says he does busi- ness at the "Jackson Tonsorial Hall," two doors south of the hat factory. He then remarks, "Those who cannot find the place will inquire at Alexander Smith's or Peter Shiras." There was also a movement made in that day, as is learned from articles sent to the Gasette in December, 1826, to start a circu- lating library for the benefit of the Greensburg people. Another article in the same issue laments the fact that Greensburg was without that "useful mechanic," a nailor.
In 1830 the population of the town was 810, an increase of forty in ten years. Still the buildings were largely frame or log, and bore little resem- blance to the present structures. On the north the town extended to the lot where the present house lately occupied as the residence of the late Mrs. Thomas J. Barclay. Joseph Herwig, a chair maker, was in the last house on the op- posite side of the street. On the south the town was bounded by the German Reformed parsonage, which stood below the present Zimmerman House, and on the opposite side of the street was a tavern kept by a widow named Bignell. She called her house the "Sun, Moon and Seven Stars." The sloping ground south of town was known for long years as the "Bullet Ground," because it was used for shooting at a mark. Long after this that whole section received the name of "Kinkerhook," by which name it is still occasionally designated. The name Kinderhook was doubtless given to it about 1840, in the days of Martin Van Buren, for this was the name of his birthplace in New York. West Pittsburgh street was then called "Dutch Town," and extended down to a few doors farther than the Cowan residence, where a man named Jennings, living near Coal Tar Run, had a blacksmith shop. After passing the Run, the hill west of it was and is still called Bunker Hill, and on the top of Bunker Hill was a riotous tavern where men went to indulge in the sports of cock fighting, dog fighting, etc. There were no houses on the hill at that time except one, which was about opposite the house built by Judge Burrell, now owned by the heirs of the late Hillary J. Brunot. This house was then owned by a man named John Williams, whose son, William Williams, became an efficient deputy and clerk in the court house. East Greensburg, or "Irish Town," ended with the steam mill of Eli Coulter, who was a brother of Jus- tice Richard Coulter. It was a short distance west of Jack's Run. West Otterman street ended about the place where the United Brethren Church stands. On the ground where this church stands formerly stood an old stone tavern, which was perhaps the oldest stone house in Greensburg, for it was
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